It is well-known in the automotive industry to provide an airbag in a vehicle in order to protect a user of the vehicle in case of an accident involving the vehicle. An airbag may for example be provided in a dashboard of the vehicle in a position opposing a possible front seat passenger, such that the airbag when deployed will help to protect the front seat passenger. It is also known to provide an airbag in the steering wheel and at various other locations in the vehicle interior, e.g. to protect a knee of a vehicle user. For practical and aesthetical reasons it is often desired to conceal the airbag arrangement, whereto the airbag belongs, by an airbag cover, such that the airbag arrangement is not visible from a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The airbag cover may in turn be covered by an outer surface forming a part of the vehicle interior, e.g. a dashboard outer surface or a steering wheel outer cover.
Document US 2005/0269804 A1 discloses an airbag arrangement including a panel body, forming the outer surface, including a door portion disposed opposing the airbag, a non-expansion portion which surrounds the door portion and a door peripheral portion defining the door portion and the non-expansion portion, containing a hinge opposing portion and a fracture portion to be fractured with a pressure when the airbag is expanded. The airbag arrangement further comprises a backing member, forming the airbag cover, including a door fixing portion welded to the door portion in the form of a sheet, a non-expansion portion fixing portion welded to the non-expansion portion in the form of a sheet and a hinge portion which is deformable, connecting the door fixing portion with the non-expansion portion fixing portion and disposed substantially opposing the hinge opposing portion. A net body is disposed across the hinge opposing portion and embedded integrally in a welding portion between the panel body and the backing member except a portion opposing the hinge opposing portion.
When the airbag is expanded, high forces act on the airbag cover. There is then a risk that the airbag cover according to document US 2005/0269804A1 may delaminate at the net body, e.g. adjacent to the hinge portion, hence separating the panel body and the backing member. There is hence a desire for an improved airbag cover, reducing, or preferably avoiding, this risk.